Electric motor driven dual drive

ABSTRACT

An electric motor driven dual drive for adjusting support parts of a support apparatus for supporting padding of seating and/or lounging furniture, in particular a box spring mattress or an upholstered bed, has a base body, and two spaced-apart pivot elements, in particular pivot levers, which in the installed position of the dual drive are each supported on the base body so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis, and which are each associated with at least one support part to be adjusted. At least one electric motor driven drive unit is associated with each pivot element, and the distance between the pivot axes is at least 620 mm.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of German Application No. 10 2016 113 980.7, filed 28 Jul. 2016, and this application claims the priority of German Application No. 10 2016 116 251.5, filed 31 Aug. 2016, and each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an electric motor driven dual drive for adjusting support parts of a support apparatus, which are pivotable relative to one another for supporting a box spring mattress or an upholstered bed, relative to one another.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dual drives are generally known, for example for use with slatted frames. They have a base body that may be designed in particular as a housing, and on or in which two drive units are situated, each of which has an output element which in the installed position of the dual drive cooperates with a pivot element in the form of a pivot shaft that is in operative connection with a support part to be adjusted in order to pivot it. The pivot shaft is part of an adjustment fitting that is part of a support apparatus to be adjusted, for example a slatted frame. In the known furniture drives, the output element is generally formed by a linearly movable spindle nut. To convert the linear movement of the spindle nut into a pivoting movement of the pivot shaft, a coupling lever is rotatably fixedly mounted on the pivot shaft. In order to adjust a support part of the support apparatus, the spindle nut presses against the coupling lever, so that the pivot shaft pivots and the support part is thus adjusted in the desired manner.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide an improved dual drive.

This object is achieved by the invention set forth herein.

Advantageous and practical further embodiments of the invention are likewise set forth herein.

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of a dual drive according to the invention and a support apparatus according to the invention are illustrated. All features that are described, illustrated in the drawings, and claimed in the patent claims, alone or in any suitable combination with one another, constitute the subject matter of the present invention, regardless of their recapitulation in the patent claims or the dependent claims, and regardless of their description or illustration in the drawings.

Relative terms such as left, right, up, and down are for convenience only and are not intended to be limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings show the following:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of an electric motor driven adjustable support apparatus according to the invention for supporting a box spring mattress, together with a first exemplary embodiment of a furniture drive according to the invention in the form of a dual drive, the support apparatus being shown in the end position of the adjustment movement, corresponding to a maximally adjusted position;

FIG. 2 shows, in the same illustration as FIG. 1, the support apparatus according to FIG. 1, with support parts of the support apparatus omitted;

FIG. 3 shows, in the same illustration as FIG. 2, the support apparatus according to FIG. 2, with a frame of the support apparatus additionally omitted;

FIG. 4 shows a detail from FIG. 3, in enlarged scale compared to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows, in the same illustration as FIG. 3, the support apparatus according to FIG. 3, with the base body of the furniture drive, designed as a profile rail, omitted;

FIG. 6 shows a detail from FIG. 5 in enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a dual drive according to the invention, with pivot levers of the dual drive illustrated in a starting position of the adjustment movement;

FIG. 8 shows, in the same illustration as FIG. 7, the dual drive according to FIG. 7, with the pivot levers illustrated in the end position of the adjustment movement;

FIG. 9 shows, in the same illustration as FIG. 8, the dual drive according to FIG. 8, with a half-shell of a housing of the dual drive omitted;

FIG. 10 shows, in the same illustration as FIG. 9, a detail from FIG. 9 but in enlarged scale;

FIG. 11 shows, in the same illustration as FIG. 10, the dual drive according to FIG. 10, with a pressure piece of a drive unit of the dual drive omitted for purposes of illustration;

FIG. 12 shows, in the same illustration as FIG. 10, the pressure piece by itself;

FIG. 13 shows, in the same illustration as FIG. 9, the dual drive in the starting position of the adjustment movement illustrated in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 14 shows, in the same illustration as FIG. 8, a detail from FIG. 8 but in enlarged scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made below to FIGS. 1 through 6 for explanation of one exemplary embodiment of an electric motor driven adjustable support apparatus according to the invention, which is provided with one exemplary embodiment of an electric motor driven dual drive.

FIG. 1 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of an electric motor driven adjustable support apparatus 2 according to the invention for supporting a box spring mattress. The box spring mattress itself is not shown in the drawing in order to simplify the illustration.

The support apparatus 2 has a frame 4 and plate-shaped support parts which are pivotably adjustable relative to one another, and which have a stationary center support part 6, one end of which is articulatedly connected to an upper body support part 8 so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis. The end of the center support part 6 facing away from the upper body support part 8 is articulatedly connected to a leg support part 10 so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis, the leg support part being hinged to a calf support part 12.

The support parts 6 through 12 are omitted in FIG. 2 in order to simplify the illustration. In FIG. 3, the frame 4 of the support apparatus 2 is additionally omitted.

The design of one exemplary embodiment of a dual drive 14 according to the invention is explained below. The dual drive 14 has a base body 16, which in this exemplary embodiment is designed as a C profile rail. Two drive units 18, 18′ are situated on the base body 16, the drive unit 18 being associated with the upper body support part 8 for adjusting same, and the drive unit 18′ being associated with the leg support part 10 and the calf support part 12 for adjusting same. Only the drive unit 18 is explained in greater detail below. The drive unit 18′ has a corresponding design, and therefore is not explained in greater detail.

The drive unit 18 has an electric motor 20, which via a worm gear is in rotary drive connection with a threaded spindle 22 on which a spindle nut 24, which is rotationally fixed and linearly movable in the axial direction of the threaded spindle 22, is situated, and which forms the output element of the drive unit 18. For pivoting the upper body support part 8 relative to the center support part 6, a pivot element in the form of a pivot lever 26 is provided, which is supported on the base body 16 of the dual drive 14 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis 28. The end of the pivot lever 26 facing away from the pivot axis 28 bears rollers 30, 30′ on which the upper body support part 8 is supported on its side facing away from the box spring mattress, so that the pivot lever 26 loosely acts on the upper body support part 8.

One end of a positioning lever 32 is articulatedly connected to the pivot lever 26 at a distance from the ends thereof, and the other end of the positioning lever is loosely acted on by the spindle nut 24.

Beginning from a starting position of the adjustment movement, which corresponds to a reclined position of the support apparatus 2, and in which the upper body support part 8 together with the center support part 6 as well as the leg support part 10 and the calf support part 12 span an essentially horizontal support plane, the electric motor 20 drives the threaded spindle 22 in such a way that the spindle nut 24 moves to the right in the drawing and presses against the facing end of the positioning lever 32, causing the positioning lever 32 to raise up. The pivot lever 26 is thus pivoted clockwise in the drawing, so that the upper body support part is pivoted in the desired manner.

The return from the end position of the adjustment movement, illustrated in the drawing, into the starting position takes place with the electric motor 20 switched on, but under the weight force of the upper body support part 8 and/or a person resting on the support apparatus 2.

As is apparent from FIG. 6, the pivot lever 26, on its side facing the spindle nut 24 and the positioning lever 32, has a recess 34, extending in the longitudinal direction of the pivot lever 26, which is designed in such a way that in the starting position of the adjustment movement in which the upper body support part 8 is essentially horizontal, the spindle nut 24 and the positioning lever 32 are accommodated in the recess 34.

Due to the pivot lever 26 being pivotably supported on the base body 16 of the dual drive 14, a separate adjustment fitting is not necessary. This results in a particularly simple design.

According to the invention, the dual drive 14 is designed for tool-free installation on the support apparatus 2. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the support apparatus 2 has braces 36, 36′ extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the support apparatus (see in particular FIGS. 2 and 3). Support elements 38, 38′ are situated at the ends of the profile rail, which forms the base body 16 of the dual drive 14, and in the installed position of the dual drive 14, illustrated in the drawing, support the base body 16 on the braces 36, 36′. The support elements 38, 38′ may be fastened to the braces 36, 36′ via suitable fastening means, depending on the particular requirements. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, however, the support elements 38, 38′ rest loosely on the braces 36, 36′. The distance between vertical surfaces of the support elements 38, 38′ facing away from one another corresponds essentially to the inside width between the cross braces 36, 36′. The dual drive 14 may optionally be held between the cross braces 36, 36′ with light clamping.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, fastening means for tool-free fastening of the center support part 6 to the base body 16 of the dual drive 14 are also provided, which in this exemplary embodiment have a screw device that is manually operable without tools. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, within the meaning of tool-free fastening, the screw device has wing screws, of which only one wing screw 42 is discernible in FIG. 6. The wing screws are screwable into nuts 40, 40′ situated on the center support part 6.

For disassembly of the dual drive 14, for example for maintenance, it is necessary only to loosen the wing screws 42, 42′ and lift the support elements 38, 38′ from the braces 36, 36′. The assembly and disassembly of the dual drive 14 is thus carried out particularly easily, and completely without the use of tools.

The pivot lever 26′ associated with the leg support part 10 and the calf support part 12 bears on its ends an axis 44 extending parallel to the pivot axis of the pivot lever 26′ (see FIG. 3), in the installed position of the dual drive 14 the axis being accommodated in receptacles 46, 46′ that are fastened to the bottom side of the calf support part 12. In this way, the leg support part 10 and the calf support part 14 are adjusted when the pivot lever 26 pivots.

In addition, a method for emergency lowering of a support part that is adjusted by means of a furniture drive according to the invention has independent significance according to the invention. If the power fails, for example in the adjustment position of the pivot lever 26, and thus of the upper body support part 8, illustrated in FIG. 6, the pivot lever 26 may be manually moved clockwise in FIG. 6 so that the positioning lever 32 is disengaged from the spindle nut 24 and the pivot lever 26 is thus decoupled from the drive train of the drive unit 18. The pivot lever 26 may subsequently be moved counterclockwise in the drawing, whereby the upper body support part moves back into the starting position and the positioning lever 32 slides over the spindle nut 24, to the left in the drawing. In the starting position of the adjustment movement that is once again achieved at the end of this movement, the positioning lever 32 and the spindle nut 24 are accommodated in the recess 34 of the pivot lever 26.

To bring the pivot lever 26 back into drive connection with the drive train of the drive unit 18, it is necessary only to actuate the electric motor 20 in such a way that the spindle nut 24 travels back into its starting position, to the left in the drawing. In so doing, it moves beneath the positioning lever 32, so that the latter slides over the spindle nut 24 and re-engages with the end of the spindle nut 24 facing the electric motor 20, thus re-establishing the drive connection. To facilitate this operation, the positioning lever 32 may be provided with a run-up slope 46 on the underside of its free end, as is apparent from FIG. 6. The emergency lowering thus has a particularly simple design.

Reference is made to FIGS. 7 through 14 below for explanation of a second exemplary embodiment of a furniture drive according to the invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of a dual drive 14 according to the invention, having pivot elements in the form of pivot levers 26, 26′ which in each case are supported so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis 28, 28′, fastened to the base body 16 of the dual drive, the same as in the first exemplary embodiment. Also in the same manner as in the first exemplary embodiment, the dual drive 14 is designed for tool-free installation on a support apparatus for a box spring mattress or an upholstered bed, as previously explained for the first exemplary embodiment. FIG. 7 shows the dual drive 14 in a starting position of the adjustment movement, having a position of the pivot levers 26, 26′ that corresponds to an adjustment position of the support apparatus in which the support parts span an essentially horizontal support plane.

FIG. 8 shows the dual drive according to FIG. 7 in a position of the pivot levers 26, 26′ that corresponds to an end position of the adjustment movement in which the support parts are maximally adjusted relative to one another.

The second exemplary embodiment differs from the first exemplary embodiment, in the first instance, in that the base body 16 is designed as a housing 50 that accommodates the drive units associated with the pivot levers 26, 26′. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the housing 50 is made up of two half-shells 52, 52′ made of plastic. The half-shells 52, 52′ are connected or connectable to one another by screws.

At the ends of the housing 50 situated in the longitudinal direction, support elements 38, 38′ are molded into the housing, via which the dual drive 14 in the installed position rests on transversely extending braces of a support apparatus and is supported thereon (see reference numerals 36, 36′ in FIG. 3).

For fastening to a stationary center support part of a support apparatus, fastening tabs 54, 54′ are integrally molded onto the half-shells 52, 52′, as is apparent in FIG. 8 and in particular in FIG. 14.

Installation of the dual drive 14 on a support apparatus takes place in principle in the same way as explained with reference to the first exemplary embodiment. For this purpose, the dual drive 14 is placed on the transversely extending braces of the support apparatus by means of the support elements 38, 38′. The dual drive 14 may subsequently be screwed with its housing to a stationary center support part of a support apparatus via the fastening tabs 54, 54′. The screw connection may be established in particular via a screw device that is operable without tools.

The drive units 18, 18′ of the dual drive 14 are explained in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12.

FIG. 9 shows the dual drive 14 in the adjustment position corresponding to FIG. 1, with the half-shell 52 of the housing 16 omitted in order to explain the design of the drive units 18, 18′. Only the drive unit 18 is explained in greater detail below; the drive unit 18′ has a corresponding design, and therefore is not explained in greater detail.

The drive unit 18 has a stationary spindle nut 56 which is rotatably supported in the housing 16 and mounted on a threaded spindle 58 that is rotationally fixed in the housing 16 and movable in its axial direction. A worm gearwheel 60 is rotatably fixedly connected to the spindle nut 56 and engages with a worm 62 that is in engagement with the drive shaft of an electric motor of the drive unit 18, so that the threaded spindle 58 moves to the left or the right in FIG. 10, depending on the rotational direction of the drive shaft of the electric motor.

For supplying power and controlling the drive units 18, 18′, power supply and control means, not illustrated in greater detail in the drawing, are provided, whose basic design is generally known to those skilled in the art and therefore is not explained in greater detail here.

A pressure piece 64 is mounted on the end of the threaded spindle 58 facing the pivot axis 28.

In a departure from the first exemplary embodiment, in the second exemplary embodiment the pivot lever 26 is designed as a two-armed lever whose first lever arm 66 loosely acts on the associated support part to be adjusted, and whose second lever arm 68 is in drive connection with the drive element of the drive unit 18 formed by the pressure piece 64.

Situated between the second lever arm 68 and the pressure piece 64 of the drive unit 18 is a tab 70 whose first end remote from the pivot axis 28 is articulatedly connected to the second lever arm 68, and whose second end may be acted on by pressure from the pressure piece 64, or which is acted on by pressure during the adjustment movement. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the pressure piece loosely acts on the second end of the tab 70 by means of an engagement surface.

FIG. 11 shows the drive unit 18, with the pressure piece 64 omitted for purposes of explanation.

FIG. 12 shows the pressure piece 64 by itself, in particular an engagement surface 72 of the pressure piece 64 being discernible.

It is apparent from FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, and from a comparison of FIG. 11 with FIG. 12, that the engagement surface 72 and the second end of the tab have a profiled cross section and complementary shapes. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the engagement surface 64 has a concave cross section and the second end of the tab has a complementary convex shape, the engagement surface 72 and the end of the tab 70 having an arc-shaped cross section.

For pretensioning the second end of the tab 70 against the engagement surface 72 of the pressure piece 64, spring means are provided, which in this exemplary embodiment are formed by a tension spring, in the form of a coil spring 74, that acts between an inner wall of the housing 50 and the tab 70.

For adjusting the pivot lever 26, and thus the associated support part, from the starting position of the adjustment movement illustrated in FIG. 7 toward the end position of the adjustment movement illustrated in FIG. 8, the electric motor drives the spindle nut 56 in such a way that the threaded spindle 58 together with the pressure piece 64 moves to the left in FIG. 10. The pressure piece 64 hereby presses against the second end of the tab 70. The second end of the tab 70 is thus held in engagement with the engagement surface 72 by means of the coil spring 74. During the movement of the pressure piece 64 to the left in FIG. 10, the pivot lever 26 pivots clockwise in FIG. 10, so that the support part is acted on by the pivot lever 26 in the desired manner.

If the power fails with the support apparatus adjusted, the pivot lever 26 together with the support part that is adjusted thereby may be put back manually in an emergency disengagement (emergency lowering) as follows:

For carrying out emergency lowering, the pivot lever 26 is manually moved clockwise in FIG. 10, past the end position of the adjustment movement illustrated in FIG. 10, whereby the second end of the tab 70 disengages from the engagement surface 72 of the pressure piece 64. The tab 70 is hereby pulled upward by the coil spring 74.

The tab 70 is provided at its lower end with a handle element 76 that is accessible through an opening formed in the housing 50, as is apparent from FIG. 8. By means of the handle element 76, the tab 70 can be pulled downward and moved out of the movement path of the pressure piece 64. The pivot lever together with the support part that is adjusted thereby may then be moved back counterclockwise in FIG. 10, the tab 70 moving outside the housing 50, beneath the stopped pressure piece.

To re-engage the tab 70 with the engagement surface 72 and thus reactivate the drive unit 18, the pivot lever 26 may be manually moved clockwise in FIG. 10, whereby the tab 70 re-engages with the engagement surface 72 of the pressure piece 64 under the action of the coil spring 74.

An emergency lowering is thus implemented, which has independent significance according to the invention.

The distance of the pivot axes 28, 28′ from one another is denoted by reference character A in FIG. 13. According to the invention, the distance A is greater than 620 mm. Particularly favorable conditions thus result during the adjustment of support parts of a support apparatus. That distance A results in favorable conditions with respect to the length of the lever arms of the levers mounted pivotably to the housing of the dual drive. Further, distance A between the pivot axes may be approximately 640 mm or at least 640 mm.

While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, and uses and/or adaptations of the invention and following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An electric motor driven dual drive for adjusting support parts of a support apparatus for supporting padding of seating and/or lounging furniture, in particular a box spring mattress or an upholstered bed, comprising: a) a base body; b) two spaced-apart pivot elements, in particular pivot levers, which in the installed position of the dual drive are each supported on the base body so as to be pivotable about a respective pivot axis, and which are each associated with at least one support part to be adjusted; c) at least one electric motor driven drive unit is associated with each pivot element; and d) a distance between the respective pivot axes is at least 620 mm.
 2. The dual drive according to claim 1, wherein: a) the distance between the pivot axes is approximately 640 mm or at least 640 mm.
 3. The dual drive according to claim 1, wherein: a) the base body is a housing.
 4. The dual drive according to claim 1, wherein: a) the base body has a brace-like design.
 5. The dual drive according to claim 1, wherein: a) each of the two pivot elements is fastened to the base body in a pivotably supported manner.
 6. The dual drive according to claim 1, wherein: a) each of the two pivot elements is a pivot lever that is pivotable by the associated output element in order to pivot the associated support part.
 7. The dual drive according to claim 6, wherein: a) the output element is linearly movable.
 8. The dual drive according to claim 7, wherein: a) the output element is a spindle nut which is rotationally fixed and situated on a threaded spindle so that the output element is movable in the axial direction, and which is in rotary drive connection with the at least one electric motor of the drive unit.
 9. The dual drive according to claim 7, wherein: a) the output element is a threaded spindle which is rotationally fixed and supported so as to be movable in its axial direction, and on which a stationary spindle nut, in rotary drive connection with an electric motor, is situated.
 10. The dual drive according to claim 1, wherein: a) the base body of the dual drive is one of a housing made of plastic and is provided with a housing.
 11. The dual drive according to claim 10, wherein: a) the housing is made up of two half-shells.
 12. The dual drive according to claim 10, wherein: a) support elements are formed on the ends of the housing, via which the housing rests on transversely extending braces of the support apparatus in the installed position of the dual drive.
 13. The dual drive according to claim 12, wherein: a) the support elements rest loosely on the braces in the installed position of the dual drive.
 14. An electric motor driven adjustable support apparatus for supporting padding of seating and/or lounging furniture, in particular a box spring mattress or an upholstered bed, wherein the support apparatus includes at least one electric motor driven dual drive according to claim
 1. 